Every once in a while, dinner shouldn’t have to feel like another thing on your to-do list. It should feel like a break. And with the right credit card, having a dine-in or takeout dinner break can even come with a little extra bonus. Maybe it’s statement credits that lower the bill for a nice night out, delivery perks that skip the fees, or monthly credits that stretch the food budget a bit further. Or maybe you are just earning points and miles for that next beach vacation! 

Dining credits are one of the easiest credit card perks to use because they offset real spending you are probably already doing. I am the queen of squeezing every last bit of value from my credit cards when it comes to food. I’d like it to be second nature to you, too.

So, here is your original, straight-to-the-point guide to the best credit cards for dining credits right now, plus how to use them without adding more work to your life. And to make it even easier, we have a credit card tracker about all things related to your cards, besides food.

 

American Express® Gold Card

These credits are built for busy households. 

• Up to $120 per year ($10/month) in dining credits at select partners (like Grubhub and other participating merchants)

• Up to $120 per year ($10/month) in Uber Cash that can be used for Uber Eats or rides in the U.S.

• Up to $100 per year (up to $50 in statement credits twice a year) in Resy restaurant credits

That is up to $340 per year in potential food and value.

Enrollment is required for select benefits. Terms apply. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.

Why parents love it:
You can use one credit for a delivery night, and the other for a quick Uber Eats lunch when you are running errands. No fancy restaurant reservations required!

Bonus:
It also earns four Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent (up to $50,000 per calendar year on eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide). So you are stacking credits and earning points on the same meal.

 

American Express® Gold Business Card

What You Get

• Up to $20 monthly Grubhub credit: Valued at up to $20 per month, which adds up to $240 per year if fully used. To be honest, this is usually a cookie or cake credit for me!

 

American Express Platinum Card®

Best for nights out

This card leans into a chiller experience with the Resy dining credits. I use mine at a very spendy steakhouse in town! 

Food-related perks:

• Annual Resy dining credits (issued in chunks throughout the year)

• Monthly Uber Cash – This can be your quick pick-up or delivery order for dinner. I add it to my Uber Cash to get even more “quick food.”

• Uber One membership credit

This is the credit card for a night out. The credits help soften the annual fee if you actually use them, and believe me, I do. It is an easy one!

 

 

Terms apply.

Enrollment is required for select benefits.

 

Chase Sapphire Reserve® 

Dining perks (even when traveling)

• Up to $300 per year in dining credits through Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables (split semi-annually).  This is one that I use when I travel, as I don’t have a Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables restaurant close to where I live. However, getting to spend $150 twice a year that gets credited back to me AND try out a new restaurant is a win-win. I just used mine in SLC at a trendy Italian restaurant.

• Complimentary DashPass membership

• Monthly DoorDash promos

If your house runs on delivery some weeks, DashPass alone can make this card feel useful fast. Add in strong travel points earning, and it is definitely a take-along on trips.

 

 

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express®

This one surprises people.

Dining perk:

• Up to $25 per month in statement credits at restaurants worldwide (up to $300 annually)

This is not tied to one app or reservation system. It is simply restaurant spend. If you know you will dine out at least once a month, this can be an easy win. My husband and I each have this, so it’s an easy Mexican food night out for us each month.

 

Chase Sapphire Preferred® and Sapphire Reserve for Business℠

King and Queen of DoorDash perks (and you know that I love my treats)!

When these cards are used within the DoorDash app, and their credits are applied, you get one $10 credit or two $10 credits, respectively. Read this post to learn more.

 

How to Best Use Dining Credits

• Link the card once to Uber, DoorDash, or Grubhub—done!

• Set calendar reminders for monthly credits so they actually get used, or use them the first month

• Use the card automatically for restaurant and delivery charges.

• Don’t chase benefits you’ll forget; pick the card that matches how you eat.

 

No Credits? Then Earn Some Points!

If you just want a simple way to earn points when you eat, then these cards shine:

• American Express® Gold Card – big points on dining, even aside from credits

• Chase Sapphire Reserve® – 3 points per dollar spent on dining, including delivery services

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® – 3 points per dollar spent on dining

• Citi Strata Elite℠ – 6 points per dollar spent on weekend restaurant spending (Friday 6 p.m. to Saturday 6 a.m. ET and Saturday 6 p.m. to Sunday 6 a.m. ET). At other times, you earn 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants.

 

Bottom Line

You already pay for meals. With the right card, you can offset part or all of the cost and earn travel points when you don’t have a credit. Are there other food credits we’ve missed, and what are your favorites?

Opinions, reviews, analyses, and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply.

 

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